A package delivery drone comprises at least one propeller for generating lift and an article containment area for containing an article to be carried by the drone. The floor of the article containment area comprises a dynamic support surface for supporting the article and allowing the article to move into, out of and through the article containment area. The package delivery drone interfaces with a docking station having a shelf for exchanging packages with the drone.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first coupling element comprises one of a bar, a hook and a magnet.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking cones include charging contacts and the receptacles include pins for supplying power to the drone.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic support surface comprises a conveyor belt trained about a conveyor frame and forming the bottom of the article containment area.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the drone further comprises one or more gates that can be activated to open and close the article containment area.
6. The system of claim 4, wherein the docking station includes a driver for driving the conveyor belt.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the shelf comprises a conveyor.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station comprises a window in a building.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the frame and propeller are formed in a first module and the article containment area is formed in a second module coupled to the first module to form the drone.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first coupling element includes a docking bar and the second coupling element comprises hooks extending from a vertical member for receiving the docking bar.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein each hook comprises an upper section comprising a planar portion extending at an angle relative to the vertical member and a lower section comprising a curved seat for pivotally receiving the docking bar.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of actuating a conveyor forming a dynamic support surface on the drone to move a package into or out of the article containment area.
14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of actuating a conveyor in the shelf to move a package onto or from the drone.
15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of charging the drone while docked.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
April 11, 2019
May 28, 2024
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